NDOW Southern Fishing Report
by Nevada Department of Wildlife
4-28-2021
Website
Fly fishermen are catching trout and bass with Woolly Buggers in olive and black colorations. Night crawlers and marshmallows below a bobber are catching trout from shore. Crappies are starting to bite offshore. Pistol Pete’s and jigs caught a few crappie’s attention over the weekend. Bass are catch-and-release only until June 30.
The crappie bite is picking up. The fish are taking small jigs. Bass and trout are taking almost everything thrown at them. Rainbow trout will take olive Woolly Buggers, earthworms, and PowerBait. Water levels are steady with shore fishing limited by vegetation in a few spots.
Many anglers are waiting for reprieve from high winds. In the Boulder Basin, stripers, catfish, and black bass bites are steadily picking up. Anchovies are working well for both stripers and catfish, while a variety of plastics are producing black bass bites. Anglers in the Virgin Basin are attempting to zone in on schools of crappie. The fish are showing a preference for 2- or 3-inch minnows.
Shoreline anglers at Willow Beach are finding rainbow trout in the 2-pound range just north of the fishing pier. Yellow, red, and chrome spinners are getting hits. On the south end of Lake Mohave, striped bass are chasing trout and shad swimbaits. The Cottonwood Basin is busy with black bass anglers from both shore and boat. Soft plastics finessed in the shallows are producing fish larger than 3 pounds.
Stripers are cruising the stretch of river from south Casino Row through Big Bend State Recreation Area. Fish larger than 5 pounds are hitting trolled anchovies. Some anglers are also reporting an increase in topwater activity when using pencil poppers. Black bass are attacking soft plastics in the shallows of Laughlin Lagoon.
Trout are taking earthworms, Rooster Tails, and PowerBait at Adams-McGill. Crappie and largemouth bass action is picking up on Haymeadow and Cold Springs reservoirs. Black bass are limited to five in possession until June 30. Wind and rain held anglers at bay over the weekend, but this Saturday’s forecast is looking clear for morning and evening fishing.
Bluegill, catfish, and largemouth bass are hitting well at the ponds. The bluegill are taking mealworms and PowerBait grubs fished off the bottom on size 10 hooks. Fisherman at Floyd Lamb Park are pulling bass from along the tules. Spinnerbaits worked best over the weekend. Catfish are taking night crawlers, hotdog pieces, and chicken livers.
UPCOMING FISHING EVENTS
For information about NDOW educational programs and workshops visit https://register-ed.com/programs/nevada/210-angler-education. You can get your fishing license online at www.ndowlicensing.com .
More Reports
Nevada Department of Wildlife Reports
for Wednesday, April 28th, 2021Lake Mohave: Lake Mohave Fishing Report
Colorado River - Laughlin: Stripers are Cruising The Stretch of River South of Casino Row
Kirch Wildlife Management Area: Crappie and Largemouth Action is Picking Up
Eagle Valley Reservoir: Crappies are Starting to Bite Offshore
Echo Canyon Reservoir: Crappie Bite is Picking
Nevada Department of Wildlife Reports
for Friday, April 23rd, 2021Comins Lake: Fishing Has Been Good This Spring
Illipah Reservoir: Ice Free and 90% of Capacity
Jakes Creek Reservoir (Boies Reservoir): Expect Good Fishing For Trout
Ruby Lake NWR: Fishing Has Been Fair to Good Depending Upon Day and Location
South Fork Reservoir: Water Temps in Low 50s For Almost Perfect Trout Temps
Wild Horse Reservoir: Wildhorse is now ice free and open for fishing!
Wilson Reservoir: Fishing was good last weekend
• NDOW Eastern Fishing Report